Durham chief executive Tim Bostock says the club are “100 per cent committed” to bringing a Hundred team to the north east and would be ready to take part in an expanded tournament as soon as 2025.
Consultations over the future direction of the competition, which has divided opinion since its launch three years ago, are ongoing and a decision on proposals for new, external investment is expected in the coming months.
The likeliest outcome would see the sale of stakes in the eight existing sides and there is also support for expanding the field to 10 teams.
Durham are currently affiliated to the Yorkshire-based Northern Superchargers but, with around 90 miles between Chester-le-Street and Headingley, they are eager to branch out on their own.
Bostock is an unabashed supporter of the tournament and is busily preparing a pitch to join the fray at the earliest opportunity.
“We are 100 per cent committed to bringing a franchise here to the north east,” he told the PA news agency.
“We pitched for it originally and I think we were close. We don’t have a divine right, that would be complacent, but we are very confident we would be able to mobilise very quickly.
“The north of the country cannot be ignored and we have an international ground ready to go; the facilities and infrastructure are in place.
“We’ve got to make the business case, put our best foot forward and make sure the ECB can’t turn us down.
“I don’t think we need to get too hung up on when you move to 10 teams, that could be 2027/28, why not go to nine first? If I go to the ECB in six months’ time and say, ‘we have a very powerful backer, we’re ready to go’ there’s no reason the ECB won’t make us the ninth team.
“People are sports mad in the north east and we sell out every international we get, which is one of things they look at when awarding teams. I have no doubt if we got one as part of any expansion it would be brilliantly supported. We’ve got a following wind behind us, to say the least.”
There are county cricket fans who remain stridently opposed to the entire concept of the Hundred but Bostock insists its commercial potential is unparalleled in the domestic game. The Bridgepoint private equity group offered the ECB a reported £400million for a 75 per cent share of the competition in 2022 and overseas interest would be high if individual teams went on the market.
Bostock believes his region is well placed to cash in and argues that a fresh influx of cash would be a lifeline that would prop up the rest of the national framework.
“There’s probably no bigger strategic decision to be made than this one. You’re not going to please everybody but you’ve got to get it right,” he said.
“This is the silver bullet, game-changer for the game. Despite all the criticism, I’m yet to see another product three years on from start up that is thought to be worth £750m.
“That money will sustain 18 counties, accelerate the growth of the women’s game and support recreational cricket. The economic reality is that without the advent of the Hundred and the huge investment it’s going to bring, it’s unlikely we’d still have 18 counties in five years’ time.
“We need to make sure the Hundred is monetised to become recognised as the second best short-form competition in the world, after the IPL. To do that, you’ve got to pay the money that attracts the best players and for that we need investment.
“As a destination, the north east is well placed. We’ve seen the Saudis have bought Newcastle United just down the road and you don’t need to be a brain surgeon to see they are building a portfolio.
“We are very confident we could attract a lot interest.”
Harry Brook insisted England can still salvage something from a chastening winter ahead of two crunch T20s against the West Indies.
England’s woeful group-stage exit at the World Cup was followed by an ODI reset getting off to a false start with a 2-1 defeat in the Caribbean, while they then lost T20s in Barbados and Grenada.
But Phil Salt’s maiden T20 hundred and Brook’s 31 not out off seven deliveries – thumping 24 off the final over – saw England chase down 223 on Saturday.
The tourists arrived in Trinidad on Sunday with hope renewed and Brook believes a pair of wins this week could do wonders for them a few months out from the T20 World Cup in the region.
Brook likened England’s predicament to last year’s series in Pakistan, where they came from behind to win 4-3 before sealing T20 World Cup glory.
“We’re a fair way away from the World Cup but these two games can make a big difference, especially getting the experience of these pitches and these crowds,” Brook said.
“We had it against Pakistan before the last T20 World Cup where we needed to win the last two games and we just tried to play them all like finals. We’ve got to do that for the rest of this series.
“We can take a lot of confidence from that win. You’ve got so much clarity chasing a big score like that, you know you’ve got to get out the blocks quickly.”
England were behind the eight ball at the start of the 20th over with the Windies calling upon Andre Russell, who has been confronted with this situation many times.
Requiring 21 to avoid losing the series and with Salt on 109 at the other end, Brook, on seven off two balls at the time, whipped the all-rounder fine for four.
Russell overcompensated by bowling too wide, allowing Brook to free his arms for a six over extra cover, before a full toss was larruped over the rope to leave England needing five off three balls.
The Yorkshireman clipped to midwicket for a couple before taking England to a seven-wicket victory in style by carving another wider delivery over backward point.
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“I’m just trying to be as cool as I can be,” Brook said. “I’m trying to be free-flowing – as soon as I get tensed up in any format, I’m never as good.
“It was really nice to go out there and finish it off. Hopefully I can do it plenty more times in my career.”
Brook has been conspicuously bowling a lot in net sessions, most notably attempting to improve his off-spin.
He memorably snared New Zealand captain Kane Williamson in Wellington earlier this year – so far his only Test wicket – but as a military medium-pacer.
While adding extra depth to England’s bowling is still a way off, Brook is optimistic of being able to turn his arm over in The Hundred for Northern Superchargers next year.
“It was jokey at the start but then I’ve actually started to get pretty good at it,” Brook added. “I’m just trying to work on it and see what can happen.
“The seamers are still there for Test cricket. But I am trying to look towards The Hundred. I might not bowl but it’s a little target I’ve got.”
Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon has become the eighth man to take 500 Test wickets after reaching the major milestone against Pakistan.
The 36-year-old trapped Faheem Ashraf leg before wicket after a review in Perth to reach his personal landmark on day four of the first Test as the hosts cruised to a 360-run victory.
Lyon, whose achievement was delayed by injury during last summer’s Ashes series, is the third Australian to reach the mark, following in the footsteps of the late Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath.
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Only Muttiah Muralitharan, who leads the way with a remarkable 800, Warne, James Anderson, Anil Kumble, Stuart Broad, McGrath and Courtney Walsh have claimed more Test scalps.
Lyon told Channel 7: “It’s something I’m very proud about. Firstly, to take 500, it’s a bloody big milestone. I still pinch myself when I see my name next to those guys – well not even next, below those guys in my eyes.
“Shane Warne is the greatest to ever play this game in my opinion, and Glenn McGrath’s record speaks volumes, doesn’t it? So to edge closer to those guys, it’s something that I’m proud of.”
Lyon’s big moment arrived at the start of the 28th over of Pakistan’s second innings when he rapped Faheem’s pads, but saw concerted appeals turned down by umpire Richard Illingworth.
However, the Australians opted to review and were belatedly given the verdict they craved by TV umpire Michael Gough with the ball shown to be hitting leg stump.
Faheem’s departure left Pakistan on 79 for seven and Lyon also accounted for Aamer Jamal as they slumped to 89 all out.
The right-armer, who made an instant impact on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2011 when he dismissed Kumar Sangakkara with his first ball, finished with match figures of five for 80.
Phil Salt’s maiden T20 century and Harry Brook’s nerveless batting at the death helped England reel in a mammoth 223, as they breathed fresh life into their five-match series against West Indies.
The hosts put on a six-hitting masterclass, as they cleared the rope 16 times and collected 79 runs in the last four overs, but they were upstaged as Salt underpinned England’s successful chase in Grenada.
On a hot and humid day, Salt belted half of England’s 18 sixes – a ground record in this format – as he recorded 109 not out off 56 deliveries, before Brook completed the seven-wicket win with a ball to spare.
Salt’s efforts left England needing 21 off the final over, and Brook followed up a four with three sixes in four balls off Andre Russell as the tourists narrowed the deficit to 2-1 in the five-match series.
Jos Buttler made 51 in a 115-run opening stand with Salt, who became just the fifth male from his country to record a T20 international hundred, while Liam Livingstone contributed a breezy 30 as England equalled their joint second highest chase in this format.
Scores: West Indies 222-6 (20 overs); England 226-3 (19.5 overs)
Earlier, Nicholas Pooran cracked six sixes and as many fours in a brilliant 82 off 45 balls to lead West Indies to what initially seemed a daunting total.
Holding a 2-0 lead at that point, the Windies were full of confidence and cleared the rope on 16 occasions, taking their tally across the three matches to 43 sixes.
Captain Rovman Powell belted 39 off 21 deliveries, while Sherfane Rutherford marked his first appearance of the series with 29 off 17.
Not even Adil Rashid was exempt from the carnage as he leaked 15 in his final offering, albeit having Pooran caught in the deep to finish with two for 32.
Reece Topley was magnificent up top in his first match back since a broken finger ended his World Cup early, taking one for 14 in three overs in the powerplay but he conceded 18 after being given the 20th.
Topley and Gus Atkinson were given their first outings as England shuffled their bowlers, with Chris Woakes and Rehan Ahmed left out, but it was a mixed bag from the tourists after winning the toss.
Rashid, Topley and Moeen Ali escaped most of the damage, but Tymal Mills went for 25 in the 17th over and Sam Curran 21 in the 19th – although he did claim a couple of wickets two days on from being belted for 30 in five legal deliveries.
Pooran steadied the Windies, after they lost both openers by the second over, then upped the ante after reaching a 37-ball fifty, taking 29 off his next eight deliveries before holing out off Rashid.
Nicholas Pooran cracked six sixes and as many fours in a brilliant 82 off 45 balls as West Indies posted 222 for six in their bid to wrap up a T20 series win over England.
Holding a 2-0 lead in this five-match series, the Windies were full of confidence and cleared the rope on 16 occasions in Grenada, taking their tally across the three matches to 43 sixes.
Captain Rovman Powell belted 39 off 21 deliveries while Sherfane Rutherford marked his first appearance of the series with 29 off 17 as the Windies pressed the accelerator to add 79 in the last four overs.
Not even Adil Rashid was exempt from the carnage as he leaked 15 in his final offering, albeit having Pooran caught in the deep to finish with two for 32.
Reece Topley was magnificent up top in his first match back since a broken finger ended his World Cup early, taking one for 14 in three overs in the powerplay but he conceded 18 after being given the 20th.
Topley and Gus Atkinson were given their first outings as England shuffled their bowlers, with Chris Woakes and Rehan Ahmed left out, but it was a mixed bag from the tourists after winning the toss.
Rashid, Topley and Moeen Ali escaped most of the damage but Tymal Mills went for 25 in the 17th over and Sam Curran 21 in the 19th – although he did claim a couple of wickets two days on from being belted for 30 in five legal deliveries.
Pooran steadied the Windies after they lost both openers by the second over then upped the ante after reaching a 37-ball fifty, taking 29 off his next eight deliveries before holing out off Rashid.
England fell to a crushing 347-run defeat in their one-off Test to India inside three days in Mumbai.
The hosts declared on 186 for six leaving England a target of 479 to chase down from the final two days of play, but it took India just one session to bowl them out for a first home victory in nine years.
Heather Knight top-scored for the visitors with 21 runs to her name as India swept up 10 wickets in just 27.3 overs.
Moeen Ali admitted the absence of several regulars is “no excuse” for England’s faltering white-ball tour of the Caribbean ahead of a must-win T20 against Grenada on Saturday.
Following a shock group-stage exit at the World Cup in India, England lost the ODI series to the West Indies and have no more margin for error in the T20s after falling 2-0 down with three to play.
This was supposed to be a dry run for the defence of their T20 World Cup in the region next summer, but the Windies’ belligerent batting has helped them to victories in Barbados and Grenada this week.
While the tourists are without Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood, Moeen pointed out the bulk of the side that won the T20 World Cup last year are in tow and should be doing better than they are.
“There’s still players to come back,” Moeen said. “Obviously with Stokesy, Bairstow and Woody.
“But there’s no excuse. Everyone’s a good player here – our guys have played quite a bit now in T20 cricket. It wasn’t long ago since we won the World Cup.
“We’ve just gotta adapt quickly to these conditions because this is what we’re going to get, it will be completely different to (last year’s tournament in) Australia. I think we’ve just got to start winning.
“There’s still a bit of time to go before the World Cup, but obviously we need to get a few things right as a side. We need to grab those moments and recognise those moments straight away.”
The Windies have muscled a combined 27 sixes so far to persistently put pressure on England’s bowlers, while Jos Buttler’s side have cleared the rope on just 14 occasions.
However, several England batters have been guilty of failing to build on their starts and gifted their wickets by being caught on the boundary in Thursday’s 10-run defeat.
Slow left-armer Gudakesh Motie conceded just nine runs in his four overs on a slow pitch and Moeen argued England’s batters do not necessarily need to look to go aerial all the time.
“It is not good enough from our point – at least, I think we can rotate a bit more if we’re not going to take him down, rotate a bit more and at least keep the scoreboard ticking,” Moeen said.
“You always target bowlers and I just think we probably didn’t get it right against their spin.
“Yes, we’ve got a lot of power and we can hit balls, but we’re just giving the wicket away a lot of the time. You can still be positive and hit the ball high, but you don’t have to always hit sixes.”
A switch of formats has not been conducive for England captain Jos Buttler, who was out for five off seven balls at the National Cricket Stadium after prodding meekly to the cover fielder in the ring.
It has been a frustrating few months for Buttler, both in terms of his performances and England’s results, but his white-ball deputy Moeen has urged for patience with the side in transition.
“My role is to give him an answer when he asks me and make sure there’s no doubt about anything coming from me and support him as much as I can,” Moeen added. “He’s led us to a World Cup (win).
“There will be a difficult period. This was always going to happen as everyone knows. It’s just getting back on it and making it clear for everybody their roles in the side.”
With a second match in 48 hours at St George’s, England are likely to shuffle their bowlers as left-arm seamer Reece Topley and uncapped paceman John Turner push for involvement.
Opening batsman Brandon King played a crucial role in allowing the West Indies to take a 2-0 lead over England in their five-match T20I series at the National Cricket Stadium in Grenada on Thursday.
The 28-year-old batted through the West Indian innings to help them post a formidable 176-7 from their 20 overs on a St. George’s pitch that offered a lot to the bowlers.
“We found it a bit difficult to start. It’s a low and slow pitch. Not what we’re used to here, we usually get a good batting wicket, so, we had to assess very quickly,” said King in a post-match interview.
“We lost some early wickets so we had to try and decide how to go about it in a smart way,” he added.
Individually, King made 82* off 52 balls, his eighth fifty in T20 Internationals, hitting eight fours and five sixes. His first run of the innings was also his 1000th in T20Is.
“I think there’s always some level of luck involved as well,” King said about being able to bat through the innings on that pitch.
“I was the one that got the start in the powerplay. It was difficult for new batters to come in and get going, especially against the spinners. We lost some early wickets so, given that I got the start, I tried to take it as deep as possible,” he added.
The hosts lost the wickets of Kyle Mayers (17), Nicholas Pooran (5), Shai Hope (1) and Shimron Hetmyer (2) all within the first 10 overs of their innings before King and skipper Rovman Powell combined to put on 80 for the fifth wicket.
“Extremely crucial,” was how King described Powell’s innings of 50 from 28 balls including a 30-run 16th over off Sam Curran.
“A fantastic innings from him. He eased the pressure off me a little bit as well. Nobody has the power that he has. There are some shots only he can play so it was very important at that stage of the innings that he got those quick runs,” King added.
Powell’s heroics were needed after England’s spin duo of Adil Rashid and Rehan Ahmed accounted for the wickets of Pooran, Hope and Hetmyer.
“The spinners. You could see from early they were getting some purchase from the wicket with the new ball. Adil Rashid is obviously a very experienced bowler who knows how to bowl around the world. He bowled an excellent spell. It was important to us to not give him too many wickets and take the majority of the runs off the pace bowlers,” King said.
On the bowling side for the West Indies, King said his teammates did well to follow the game plan and use information from their own innings.
“Taking the information from the first innings, we knew what lengths were difficult. We went out and tried to apply that in the field. The guys fielded well as well so we’re very happy with that,” he said.
He also singled out Gudakesh Motie for conceding just nine runs in his spell.
“Excellent spell from him. To bowl four overs for nine runs in a T20 game is amazing. A good call from the skipper and the coach to bring him in for this game. Obviously, they read the pitch very well so he was crucial for us today,” he said.
The West indies will have a chance to clinch the series with on Saturday in the third T20I beginning at 12:30pm Jamaica Time (1:30pm ECT) at the same venue.
England head coach Matthew Mott wants a response from his side after they were left with a mountain to climb in the T20 series against the West Indies in Grenada.
Sam Curran made amends after being thumped for 30 in an over, hit for four sixes and a four by Windies captain Rovman Powell, with 50 off 32 balls, having been elevated to number four in the batting order.
While there were several cameos, Curran lacked support as England fell 10 runs short of overhauling their opponents’ 176 for seven to fall 2-0 down in the five-match series after losing the ODIs 2-1.
The tourists struggled against left-arm spinners Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein, who leaked a combined 33 in eight overs. Motie was especially successful, taking 4-0-9-1 on a tricky pitch to bat on.
“No one likes losing,” said Mott. “We played good cricket again for 90 per cent of the match. We had them under control up to the 15th-over mark and unfortunately, as West Indies can do, they hurt us.
“We fought back at the back end to keep them to 176 which was definitely chase-able. It’s light and shade with our batting, there’s some really good things happening but probably just too many dot balls.
“We have to respond from this. We will try to come up with more solutions. We are trying hard, we are close. We are a couple of good hits away from a win.
“The message in the changing room is that we are not far away. We just have to stay the course. We’ve got to win one first. That’s our first target.”
Curran averaged 11 from 26 previous T20 innings, albeit having only once before batted in the top five, but he has three Test fifties and sparkled with an unbeaten 95 in an ODI against India in 2021.
It was still a surprise to see him stride out after Phil Salt was England’s second batter dismissed, with Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook and Moeen Ali each nudged down one position.
Curran, though, was the pick of the batters and uncorked seven boundaries – including three sixes – and Mott revealed his promotion was down to how they thought he would fare against Hosein and Motie.
“He didn’t seem to get a heap of strike, it’s funny how it works out and he ended up taking down the medium-pacers,” said Mott, who added it was a “50-50 call” about whether to elevate Curran or Moeen.
“We just thought Sam was the one to try and really disrupt and get a free licence to go and go hard. He did it, not in the fashion we were expecting but he certainly did his job.
“We’ve always rated his batting and he’s been in some strong teams, as he showed. When he gets an opportunity, he’s a class player. He’s worked really hard on facing fast bowling.
“He’s got a great all-round game. We know he can hurt the spinners a lot but there’s certainly more layers to his batting which is exciting for the future. It was unfortunate he got out when he did.”
The Windies belted 13 sixes to England’s eight, with opener Brandon King and Powell sharing five apiece. King anchored the Windies innings with 82 off 52 balls and Powell registered 50 off 28.
Assessing Curran’s more ignominious offering on Thursday, Mott added: “When they line you up, it’s a tough place to be.
“Every time you clear the rope it’s a big win, particularly early in an over. It’s something we have spoken about and we have got some really good six hitters ourselves.”
Powell was on a run-a-ball 22 at the start of the 16th over having been kept quiet by Adil Rashid, who took 4-0-11-2, but followed up a streaky inside edge off Curran with some monstrous hits.
Jacqueline Williams, who became the first female umpire from the Caribbean to stand in a men’s T20 international, raised her arms skywards on four occasions before Powell ended the over by holing out.
“It definitely changed the game,” Powell reflected. “As a batter you sometimes look for that over.
“After being pegged down by the leg-spinners and then the pacer comes on, you think ‘maybe this is the opportunity to cash in’.”
Sam Curran fell short in his attempt at atonement with the bat as England were left with a mountain to climb after the West Indies moved 2-0 ahead in their T20 series.
Thumped for 30 in his second and last over by a rampant Rovman Powell, whose 50 off 28 balls propelled the Windies to 176 for seven, Curran was elevated several places to four in England’s batting order.
He made 50 himself – with four fours and three sixes – before succumbing to a catch on the boundary from his 32nd ball and England settled for 166 for seven to lose by 10 runs on a hot day in Grenada.
Adil Rashid did not concede a single boundary as he collected figures of 4-0-11-2, while Tymal Mills was impressive at the death but England’s pace options lacked a cutting edge and Rehan Ahmed was expensive as the Windies racked up 13 sixes, five of them from opener Brandon King, who made an unbeaten 82.
England had their moments with the bat, most notably as Curran defied a previous T20 average of 11 from 26 innings, but some of their more-established stars were loose at inopportune moments.
Alzarri Joseph took three for 39 and slow left-armer Gudakesh Motie conceded nine from his allotment on a sluggish pitch to leave England needing to prevail in all three remaining T20s to win the series.
It has been a forgettable few days for Jos Buttler after their World Cup group-stage exit and ODI series loss to these opponents, although the England captain returned to a venue where he make a sensational 150 on his last visit four years ago.
However, he made five this time before charging at left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein and fluffing to short cover.
Jason Holder was taken the distance by Phil Salt, while Will Jacks clubbed three fours in an over off Andre Russell as England came out of the powerplay with 51 before Motie pegged them back.
He conceded just four from his first two overs and Joseph capitalised as England’s ODI openers looked to attack him. Salt departed for 25 and Jacks for 24, the pair tempted to swing into the wind after Joseph dangled the carrot of banging the ball halfway down the pitch.
Liam Livingstone put some pressure back on the Windies by pulling and driving Russell for fours before crashing a six for a third-successive boundary, while Curran got in the act, clearing deep midwicket.
But Livingstone could not resist going after Motie – in his final over – and was caught on the boundary, while Harry Brook also perished to spin off Hosein as England were left needing 67 from 30 balls.
Curran cleared the straight boundary off both Joseph and Russell, who followed up his star showing in the Windies’ win in Barbados by leaking 66 off four overs here.
But after bringing up a maiden T20 fifty, Curran skewed Joseph to deep point, effectively ending England’s hopes.
While the returning Moeen Ali – in for Ben Duckett in England’s only line-up change – made 22 not out, the tourists were left with too much to do after requiring 27 in six balls.
A quiet start to the Windies’ innings after England fielded upon winning the toss was punctuated when King belted the returning Moeen for two sixes in an over but a 43-run opening stand ended as Kyle Mayers miscued Chris Woakes’ slower ball up to a backtracking Curran.
It was the start of the Windies losing four wickets in 17 balls as Woakes held on to a skier when Nicholas Pooran looked to take down Rashid, who had Shimron Hetmyer well caught by Moeen at slip.
Either side of Rashid’s double breakthrough, Ahmed castled Shai Hope with a sharp-turning googly.
No risks were taken against Rashid which left the Windies on 101 for four when he was bowled out with five overs left and Powell, on a run-a-ball 22, took matters into his own hands when Curran came back.
An inside edge for four was a streaky beginning but there was nothing fortunate in the way Powell then picked off Curran’s slower, length deliveries, including one baseball-style swing over long-off.
Jacqueline Williams, who became the first female umpire from the Caribbean to stand in a men’s T20 international, raised her arms skywards four times in total but Curran got a measure of revenge as Powell holed out from the final delivery of the over after bringing up a 27-ball fifty.
King tucked into Ahmed’s final offering but Mills dragged it back, conceding a combined 15 in the 18th and 20th overs and snaring Russell and Holder with the last two balls.
England’s quicks struggled to land a blow but Brandon King and Rovman Powell got plenty in to lift the West Indies to 176 for seven in the second T20 at Grenada.
The Windies lost four wickets in 17 balls to slip to 54 for four, with Adil Rashid immaculate in his 4-0-11-2, ending his spell with the hosts on 104 for four with just five overs left.
What followed was a brutal display of hitting from captain Powell, on a run-a-ball 22 at the time who bludgeoned Sam Curran for four sixes in an over to reach his half-century off just 27 deliveries.
He holed out off his next ball to give Curran the last laugh but it was a grisly afternoon for the left-arm seamer, who leaked 30 after his slower, length balls were feasted on by Powell.
Rehan Ahmed then conceded 18 in his final over after being hammered by King, who anchored the home side’s innings with an unbeaten 82 from 52 balls with eight fours and five sixes.
Tymal Mills pulled it back at the death, impressively conceding just a combined 15 in the 18th and 20th overs and claiming the wickets of Andre Russell and Jason Holder with the innings’ final two balls.
England are looking to get back in the series after losing the Barbados opener on Tuesday but – while their pace options could not make an impact then – they made just one change as Moeen Ali replaced Ben Duckett.
The Windies hammered 14 sixes in the opening match of the series and made only one fewer this time.
England ran out India captain Harmanpreet Kaur in bizarre circumstances on the opening day of their one-off women’s Test – but they could not stop the hosts piling up 410 for seven in Mumbai.
It was India’s first Test match on home soil since 2014 but they settled in to their task after choosing to bat, with Satheeth Shubha (69), Jemima Rodrigues (68), Yastika Bhatia (66) and Deepti Sharma (60no) all making half-centuries.
Kaur thought she had also reached the landmark for the first time but was surprised to find herself given out for 49 after raising her bat to acknowledge the applause of her team-mates.
She had prodded a delivery to cover and scampered through for what she believed to be her fiftieth run after Danni Wyatt’s return throw hit the stumps and ricocheted away from wicketkeeper Amy Jones.
The TV umpire subsequently reviewed the replays and found Kaur, who had been in no pressure whatsoever to make her ground, had accidentally lodged her bat just in front of the crease line and was short by an inch as the bails were lifted.
It may not have been lost on England that the bowler at the time was Charlie Dean, victim of a controversial ‘Mankad’ run out at the non-striker’s end under Kaur’s captaincy at Lord’s in 2022.
England may already find victory a tough ask with India’s highest ever home total and healthy run rate of 4.36 carving out a strong position.
This summer’s women’s Ashes series included a five-day Test, allowing enough time for the game to reach its natural conclusion, but the reversion to the conventional, unloved four days means a draw may be the best realistic result for Heather Knight’s tourists.
England had started the day well, Lauren Bell bowling Smriti Mandhana via an inside edge and Kate Cross cleaning up Shafali Verma inside the first nine overs. Bell returned to dismiss Rodrigues’ impressive knock by attacking the stumps again and finished with figures of two for 64.
Sophie Ecclestone, the world’s number one white-ball spinner, struggled to assert herself as she mustered one for 85 in 22 overs and there was one wicket apiece for Dean and Nat Sciver-Brunt, who landed a late blow to remove Sneh Rana in the closing minutes.
Jacqueline Williams is set to become the first female umpire from the West Indies to stand in a men’s T20 International featuring two Full-Member teams. The 47-year-old Williams will stand in the middle during the second T20I between West Indies and England at the Grenada National Stadium on Thursday.
She will be joined on field by experienced umpire Gregory, while Leslie Reifer jr will be the television umpire. The fourth umpire for the match is Patrick Gustard with Sir Richie Richardson, the former West Indies captain, as the Match Referee.
“It is like a dream come true. It’s a good feeling to be the first, but I hope I won’t be the last,” Williams told CWI Media.
“I’m truly honored to be given this amazing opportunity and I want to make sure I give my best when I take the field on Thursday. It is obvious that from what I have done so far in my career this would be a testimony to my work.
“Standing in full-member matches is something major for me. I don’t want to downplay the other international matches I officiated in before because that helped to prepare me for this. I am fully prepared.”
Williams added: “I am hoping that by virtue of other young females watching matches and seeing me in the middle as an umpire, it would inspire them to participate in cricket as players and as match officials. I am happy for the strides I have made so far, and I will always do my best so that those looking on will have someone to emulate.”
This is the first T20I between West Indies and England in Grenada. The match starts at 1:30 pm and fans in the West Indies will be able to catch the action LIVE in the Caribbean on Rush, the Flow Sports App, or the Sportsmax App and on TNT Sports in the UK. Visit the windiescricket.com website for further details on the live broadcast with our other media partners around the world.
West Indies lead the five-match series 1-0 following their impressive victory by four wickets in the opening contest at Kensingt0n Oval on Tuesday night thanks to a superb Player of the Match performance by Andre Russell.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Grenada National Stadium, Grenada
On-field umpires: Jacqueline Williams, Gregory Brathwaite
Television umpire: Leslie Reifer jr
Fourth umpire: Patrick Gustard
Match Referee: Sir Richie Richardson
FULL SQUADS
West Indies: Rovman Powell (captain), Shai Hope (vice-captain), Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Brandon King, Kyle Mayers, Gudakesh Motie, Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd; Daren Sammy (Head Coach)
England: Jos Butler (captain), Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Phil Salt, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Rehan Ahmed, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Tymal Mills, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, John Turner; Matthew Mott (Head Coach)
SERIES MATCH SCHEDULE
12 December: 1st T20I – West Indies won by 4 wickets at – Kensington Oval, Barbados
14 December: 2nd T20I at Grenada National Stadium, Grenada (1:30pm/12.30pm Jamaica Time)
16 December: 3rd T20I at Grenada National Stadium, Grenada (1:30pm/12.30pm Jamaica Time)
19 December: 4th T20I at Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad (4pm/3pm Jamaica Time)
21 December: 5th T20I at Brian Lara Academy, Trinidad (4pm/3pm Jamaica Time)
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